“A pastor can seem like he’s known by many — he reveals a bit of himself each
week to hundreds or thousands — while he’s really known by few. Revelations of
himself during sermons are often like revelations over social media: Controlled
vulnerability that keeps people at a distance either through over- or
under-sharing.”
– Elliott Grudem (Pastors Need Friends Too)
– Elliott Grudem (Pastors Need Friends Too)
This quote has
to be one of the most accurate representations of ministry challenges that I’ve heard to
date. It is a difficult but common reality that many clergy and their families face in ministry, often telling me “they think they know me but they don’t know the real, let-my-hair-down
me!”